Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for an enhanced data service for a Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service (SDARS) that provides over the air (OTA) delivery of aggregated and verified speed camera and red light camera location data, along with location data of other types of traffic enforcement cameras. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method utilizing a SDARS system for broadcasting the camera location data to vehicles. The in-vehicle SDARS device and optionally a Vehicle Navigation (VNAV) service provide travelers with timely and precise camera location data. The enhanced data service can optionally facilitate the aggregation of speed camera, red light camera and other camera location data to provide timely camera location updates.
Description of the Related Art
A number of commercial databases exist which aggregate data relating to the locations of red light and speed cameras within a given geographic area. For example, camera location information can be obtained from private commercial services, police and emergency services, and voluntary user reports. A number of Global Positioning System (GPS)-based speed and red light camera detection systems exist which superimpose these aggregated locations of red light cameras and speed cameras with other location data on digital maps provided via factory-installed or after-market vehicle navigation systems, or other GPS devices such as handheld or portable devices with navigation systems.
As with digital maps, the camera location data provided to users by conventional GPS-based speed and red light camera detection systems is generally updated by having users download updated camera location data to their GPS-devices via the internet. In other words, users must connect their GPS-devices to a personal computer or otherwise access the internet to download updated camera location data to their GPS-devices from a web site of a camera location content service provider for a fee (e.g., a monthly or other periodic subscription fee for a selected number of camera location database accesses, a selected fee for unlimited accesses, or a per-access fee).
A significant number of vehicles have a Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service (SDARS) radio for receiving audio content broadcast via a SDARS system. Some Global Positioning System (GPS) vendors offer GPS-based vehicle navigation data through satellite radio add-on devices. For example, a satellite radio can be provided which displays audio programming information from the SDARS, as well as display GPS data for a vehicle using maps downloaded from a GPS vendor or other full map database source.
Presently, no more than about 20% of newly manufactured vehicles include a navigation system such as a typical GPS navigation system having a full map database and routing capabilities. The remaining newly manufactured vehicles are non-navigation systems that may have, at most, static maps but no full map database or routing capabilities.
Thus, the majority of newly manufactured vehicles and existing vehicles may be categorized as non-navigation systems since they have no navigation system as described above. Some of these vehicles can be categorized as a screen-based non-navigation system because they have a center console display (e.g., a display with 3.5″ diagonal measurement or larger display). Such a display or screen can be used for informational purposes including SDARS infotainment services. Non-navigation system vehicles that have no such display or screen shall be categorized as screenless non-navigation systems for discussion purposes herein.
A need exists for improving vehicle position data with automatic and timely updated traffic enforcement camera location data (e.g., location data for speed cameras and other types of speed-related or traffic enforcement cameras) using an SDARS device and regardless of whether the vehicle is categorized as a navigation system or a non-navigation system. For example, a need exists for SDARS users to receive audio programming, as well as periodically updated traffic enforcement camera location data, using SDARS broadcast content and therefore without having to connect to the internet to obtain updated camera location data from a service provider.
Systems exist that permit users to report locations of traffic cameras. For example, Nokia's Trapster application for mobile phones provides community-enabled or crowd-sourced traffic camera reporting. In other words, commuters can download the application to their mobile phones and then use the application to report locations of traffic cameras of which they become aware to the service provider. Commuters can also use the application to determine the locations of traffic cameras that have been previously reported to the service provider by other commuters along their travel routes. A significant disadvantage of crowd-sourced traffic camera location data is that the data is not subject to quality checks. Commuters frequently cannot distinguish between traffic congestion cameras (i.e., cameras that only provide a live video feed of traffic congestion conditions) and traffic enforcement cameras (e.g., speed cameras, red light cameras, and other speed-related cameras), let alone distinguish between different types of traffic enforcement cameras. Thus, the reporting of traffic congestion cameras with no traffic enforcement monitoring capabilities dilutes the community-enabled traffic camera database, making the service less effective (e.g., subject to more false alarms regarding speed traps). A need therefore exists for a traffic enforcement camera location update service that employs aggregated and comprehensive traffic enforcement camera data that is subject to quality checks such as verification of camera-type and functionality for accuracy using data available from law enforcement agencies, municipalities and traffic enforcement camera manufacturers and vendors. A need also exists for a traffic enforcement camera location update service that distinguishes among different-types of traffic enforcement cameras in its database information and enables subscribers to customize the traffic enforcement camera data that they receive. For example, a need exists for a traffic enforcement camera location update service that enables a subscriber to inhibit generation of warnings for certain types of traffic cameras (e.g., to generate warnings for speed cameras but not red light cameras, or to generate different warnings for respective types of traffic enforcement cameras such as different display colors or different audible warnings to distinguish among the different types of traffic enforcement cameras that the subscriber may encounter).